The invention is in the field of electrode coil manufacture and storage. Electrode wire is wound around a reel and then dispensed from an adapter where it is used in a welding process.
Electrode wire used in welding processes is wound and stored on cardboard cores. The inner end of the wire is stapled or taped to the interior portion of the core and is wrapped around the core. Wrapping of the electrode wire or coil continues until the wire terminates in an outer end. The coil is then secured with metal ties which extend through the core and then upwardly and inwardly across the outer turns of wire. The coil and the core are secured by twisting or braiding the free ends of the ties to fix them in place. Typically there are three to five ties circumferentially and equally spaced from each other. Therefore, to use the electrode coil all of the metal ties must be unbraided or cut and removed. It is difficult to unbraid or cut and remove the ties once the electrode coil and core have been placed on a supporting reel for dispensing to the welding process because the reel interferes with the removal of the ties. Furthermore, application of the ties is a manual task which cannot be economically automated, whereby the application is time consuming and expensive, and often twisting of the ties results in breakage thereof which adds to the time required to complete the application.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,470 to Frederick discloses a lacing machine for stator coils having a table upon which a horizontal shaft is mounted for rotation. A stator support on the top of the platform is driven in increments of advancement, or indexed, for binding of the coil. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,470 to Frederick is incorporated herein by reference for background information with regard to lacing procedures and apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,979 to Frederick discloses a machine for lacing the coils of wound stators with a needle and supporting bar which is advanced and retracted, tilted upwardly and downwardly and rotated on its axis. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,979 to Frederick is also incorporated herein by reference for background information regarding lacing procedures and apparatus.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,824,940 and 3,862,493 to Habegger, et al. disclose an apparatus and method for lacing or tying cord about end turn portions of coils that project beyond faces of dynamo electric machine magnetic cores. The disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,824,940 and 3,862,493 to Habegger, et al. are incorporated herein by reference for background information regarding lacing procedures and apparatus.
It is highly desirable to have an electrode coil which is securely bound and restrained and which is readily available for use and does not require considerable preparation time prior to use.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a coil core is preferably made of kraft paper which includes a first side and a second side. Adhesive is provided on the first side of the paper and the paper is wound upon itself in successive plies with the adhesive coated side facing outward. An electrode wire has an inner and an outer end and is wound around the core. The inner end of the electrode wire is embedded between plies of the kraft paper. The electrode wire is wound about the core and terminates in an outer end. Preferably, at least one turn of the electrode wire at the inner end thereof is embedded between plies of the kraft paper. The kraft paper is formed around a mandrel and, preferably, at least two layers of the kraft paper are wound on the mandrel before the innermost end of the wire is laid thereupon. Preferably, two to four additional wraps of the core paper are then wound about the mandrel together with the wire to securely retain the inner end of the electrode wire on the core. The adhesive on the outside of the core paper engages the innermost end portion of the wire as well as the embedded turns thereof.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, cord is laced in a pattern around the electrode coil and core, preferably in a generally diamond-shaped lacing pattern which provides strength for retaining the coiled wire about the periphery of the coil. The diamond-shaped lacing is circumferentially spaced about the coil periphery and, preferably, the lacing structure includes up to 24 generally diamond-shaped structures. The cord may be any flexible material having high tensile strength and good abrasion characteristics such as nylon, for example. Preferably, a slip knot ties the beginning end and the ending end of the cord together. Accordingly, in use an operator mounts the coil of wire on a dispensing reel and one pull of the slip knot releases the diamond structure of the laced cord in sequence from the coil around its entire periphery. One significant advantage of this aspect of the present invention is that the operator no longer has to perform the time consuming task of unbraiding or cutting the metal ties, thus enhancing efficiency and ease with respect to use of the electrode coil. Another advantage is that the use of lacing machines to secure the electrode coil about the core allows automation of the coil binding process, yielding labor savings and related manufacturing economies.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a core for an electrode wire coil comprised of an adhesively coated paper wound with the adhesive coating facing outwardly.
A further object is the provision of a coil core of the foregoing character comprised of multiple layer adhesively coated paper.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electrode wire coil having an inner end of the wire embedded in the layers of the core of adhesive coated paper.
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide an electrode coil with a cord stitched around the coil and core, preferably in a generally diamond-shaped lacing pattern, to releasably hold the coiled wire about the periphery of the core.
Still another object is the provision of lacing of the foregoing character having ends connected in a quick-release knot to facilitate removal of the lacing from the coil.
A further understanding of the invention will be had when reference is made to the Brief Description of the Drawings, the detailed Description of the Invention, and claims which follow hereinbelow.